Monday, November 1, 2021

Mini Book Reviews: October 2021

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the PRC of Win Me Something and Running is a Kind of Dreaming.

October was a mixed bag of reading. There were a couple really good books, a couple of meh reads, and a DNF. While it feels like for most of the year I've been lucky to have an abundance of good books to choose from, October felt like a little bit of a dry spell. I dug into my NetGalley list as well as my Kindle downloads for a few books. Gotta love a good backup plan and I was not disappointed! I need to do that more often.

I was intrigued by the premise of God Spare the Girls. The revered pastor of a super church in the south has an affair and his family is forced to deal with the fallout. His two daughters retreat to the family ranch and process the situation in different ways. There's also the subplot of the impending marriage of one of the girls. It was an interesting read but could have been better. The theme of male dominance in the church as well as in the lives of the women was intriguing...the author could have gone more deeply into this theme to give the story a much-needed spark. While not surprising, with the exception of the youngest daughter, the women in this book were so submissive! The oldest daughter's support of their father in his role as the lead pastor was barely mentioned, but had it been more prominently featured in the book would have made for some interesting reading. And that ending? Discuss amongst yourselves. 




Jack, a young man grieving the loss of his best friend, takes a job as a fly fishing guide at a pristine lodge in Colorado. He's assigned to a famous singer, who turns out to be an avid fisherwoman as well. When Jack hears a scream in the middle of the night, it doesn't take long to realize that there is something sketchy going on at the resort. It's not what he thinks, but it's still creepy. The Guide was a different kind of thriller and I loved the setting in what sounds like a beautiful place. 




Wow, this was a slow, hot mess of a book. Have you ever picked up a book again and realized you have no idea of what you previously read? And have to re-read it? That happened to me multiple times with this book. A Slow Fire Burning just did not engage me. Basically, this is a whodunit, about a young man's murder and the 3 women in his life who may have had a reason to kill him. The story is told from multiple point-of-views, which isn't normally a problem for me, but in this book, it was just confusing. I stuck with it because I thought it would get better. The author's previous book, The Girl on the Train, set the bar really high.




I am a sucker for a coming of age book and Win Me Something is a good one. A young Chinese American woman takes a job as a nanny for the daughter of a wealthy family in New York City and is exposed to a lifestyle she's never known. Her childhood was split between parents who remarried and started new families of their own, families she never felt a part of. It's interesting to see her attempts to find a place for herself in the home where she is a nanny. It's a fascinating read. The writing style really suits the story and as I finished the book, I felt promise for the main character as she continues through adulthood.



I'm so glad I picked up Intimacies. It's a short little read, but deeply immersive, the story of a multilingual young woman who leaves NYC for a position as a court translator in The Hague. She ends up translating for an African president who is accused of terrible crimes against humanities. Initially, she feels a connection to him until she considers what she's translating. She also enters into a relationship with a married man. This is a book about navigating relationships and there are a lot of interesting characters. It is very sparse but beautifully written. It's interesting to me that such a short book has given me so much to think about! This would be a great book club read.


The Truth and Other Hidden Things was a much-needed light, fun read after a month of heavier books. Call it a palate cleanser. A Brooklyn family moves to the Hudson Valley so the father can pursue tenure as an English professor at a small local college. It's as big of an adjustment as you would expect. Add to that an unexpected pregnancy when the mom's IUD fails...the only person happy about the move is the father. The mom has trouble fitting in with the local moms--the 'vipers' as she likes to think of them. She dials into her past as a writer and starts an anonymous blog, dishing on the women of the town. You know this isn't going to work out well, right? I breezed through this entertaining read and laughed out loud a few times! By the way, this is currently a Kindle download for 3.99!


I had one DNF this month: I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness by Claire Vaye Watkins. I was drawn in by the cover and the premise of post-partum depression, but it was just too weird for me, which is saying a lot. You all know I love a quirky story, but the lengthy chapter about growing up in Charles Mansion's cult and her musings about teeth in her vagina were just a little too out there. None of it made sense. 

I also read one running book this month and gave it the full blog post treatment! Running is A Kind of Dreaming was a dreamy read about an ultramarathoner as he makes his way around Lake Tahoe in a 250 mile ultra. Along the way he dreams, reminisces, and tells his life story. It's a compelling read that I couldn't put down. If you haven't read my review, click on the title above to check it out!


What are you currently reading? How do you feel about quirky books? How weird is too weird for you? Have you read any of these books? Any recommendations for me? Do you follow me on Goodreads?

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics.






30 comments :

  1. Thank you for these book reviews, Wendy!
    I just finished your recommendation "We Were Never Here" by Andrea Bartz. I couldn't put it down, it was so gripping. It would make for a great film.
    This month, I think I'd go for the "The Truth and Other Hidden Things". An anonymous blog where she speaks her mind about the vipers? Sounds good!
    I don't like quirky books - it has to be a relatable, realistic and straightforward story.I'm simple that way. :-)

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    1. I think you'd love The Truth and Other Hidden Things--you have such a great sense of humor and it would make you LOL for real!

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  2. Right now I'm reading If I Live to Morning, which is about a woman who almost died in a climbing accident on Mount Whitney. I don't know why, but mountain climbing -- which I have no desire to do -- fascinates me & I've read a lot of books about it. So far I'm enjoying it.

    I can't go through nearly as many books as you do Wendy!

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    1. I love reading adventure stories like that--I like to live vicariously through other people. I will check it out!

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  3. “The Truth and Other Hidden Things” really sounds intriguing. I could only imagine the risky behavior of blogging about your fellow townspeople, LOL I’m always surprised how many locals tell me they read mine...many of whom aren’t runners.

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    1. I'm surprised how many of my local friends read my blog too! I'm always cognizant of that when I'm sharing person info.

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  4. That DNF does indeed sound just too weird! I've not read any of these and Win me Something or The Truth and Other Hidden Things appeal to me most. I'm currently reading a book about two Australians touring Iceland to find the sagas and one of their roots, and a Mrs Oliphant novella set in the 1870s which is involving and nicely done and makes me want to read all her Chronicles of Carlingford.

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  5. I am still reading my Diane Chamberlain books. But I love your views. I read everyday and I often need suggestions.

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  6. Well, I'm having a bit of an existential reading crisis right now (which I'm going to talk about in Friday's coffee date.) I haven't read any of the books you mentioned, although I did read another book by Peter Heller. I have Running is a Kind of Dreaming sitting on my coffee table but haven't started it yet. Maybe reading your reviews will get me out of my rut!

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    1. I read another book by Peter Heller too, although the title escapes me!

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  7. I read God Spare the Girls on summer vacay and it was fine but not amazing. I know a few people who adored this book but it kind of felt like YA to me, and I rolled my eyes at the ending. Thanks for reading A Slow Fire Burning so that I don't have to;-)

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    1. Yeah, that was a huge disappointment and about 5 days I'll never get back, lol

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  8. Thank you for the book review, it's very interesting for me, Italian speaking man, to get information about beautiful books in English.

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  9. I was very curious about God Spare The Girls and Googled it. However, I think I just ruined the ending for myself. D'oh! Still seems pretty interesting so I may check it out. I'm currently working on Switch On Your Brain by Dr. Caroline Leaf for my book club. It's about understanding and changing the thought process which keeps you locked to toxic and unhealthy habits.

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  10. Just finished I Love You but I've Chosen Darkness. It was weird, finished it, but didn't care for it. I could never recommend it to anyone.

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  11. I'm not the best about reading books, but I always love your reviews because it gives me new books to add to my "must read someday" list. The book that you DNF sounds really odd - no wonder you didn't finish it!

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    1. It always amazes me how the books are marketed. Sounded so good, until I read it.

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  12. This summer I started reading Elin Hilenbrand books and I've stuck with them because I know I will like them! That being said, I do need to branch out a bit. I just call it a win that I'm reading every day now. For like 3 years I was only reading books about running or pregnancy/babies, and even that was sporadic.

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    1. I got into the habit of reading at bedtime when the boys were little. It really helped me wind down at the end of the day.

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  13. I had the exact response to a slow fire burning and never finished it. I am in the middle of the maidens and liking it but maybe not as much as the silent patient. I have the new Grisham book on deck next.

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    1. I'm reading the new Sally Rooney book and it's also just not as good as Normal People. Do I stick with it? Tough call...

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  14. I really appreciate your book reviews. I'll be taking Paula Hawkins' book off my "read list", but will be adding Win Me Something, Intimacies, and the Truth and Other Hidden Things to the list.

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    1. Those three were definitely my favorites! See Deborah's comment above--what is up with these second novels?

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  15. And How Was The Rest Of Jackson?? Was Coco Over The Moon With Your Return?? Happy November And Read On My Friend

    Cheers

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    1. Cocoa is over the moon when I come in from a trip to the store, lol. Jackson was fun! Loved the Western culture, the landscape--it's just so different from the midwest. I would love to go back!

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